Professor Avi Shlaim accuses me of spreading "pure and poisonous Israeli propaganda" in the Guardian's letters pages. It seems that when you're an Israeli living in Israel, under attack, and you are trying to defend yourself, you immediately become a villain. If, on the other hand, you're an Israeli living in pastoral Oxford, you can bash Israel freely and even be hailed.

For years Shlaim has been advocating his theory that Israel, with its relations to its Arab neighbours, more often preferred to use military force rather than try and pursue peace. This theory, which he developed in his book The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World, I found both provocative and interesting. I should add here two biographical notes: I share Shlaim's admiration of Moshe Sharett, Israel's second prime minister, a notable exception to Shlaim's theory because he preferred peace and diplomacy over military action; and I was part of the Rabin team during the Oslo process and the Israel-Jordan peace accord. Peace is my primary option.

However, the present clash in Gaza refutes Shlaim's theory. Despite what his letter says, I never questioned the fact that Hamas had been democratically elected. On the contrary, I wrote back in 2006 that it may well be a blessing in disguise: if this is the leadership the Palestinians have elected, it's their right as well as their problem. As long as they leave Israel alone, we will not bother them. Except that not only the Charter of Hamas (which Shlaim so conveniently ignores) calls for the destruction of Israel, they shelled Israel, unprovoked, until Israel was forced to take steps to defend itself.

As for Shlaim's claim that the Hamas kept the ceasefire, here is what the Egyptian foreign minister, Ahmed Aboul Gheit – surely not an Israeli propagandist – said in a press conference, immediately after the first Israeli air attack on Hamas targets in Gaza:

"For quite a time Egypt has been warning," he said. "Whoever tried to ignore this warning, must bear the responsibility." Then he became more specific: "The prime minister of Israel warned Hamas and said: 'You must stop, otherwise we will take measures in response.' In response to what? To not renewing the tahdiya (truce), to the rocket fire."

Yet Professor Shlaim has a great theory. Why confuse him with the facts?